10 "Outside the Box" Experiences that are Uniquely Coastal Delaware
If you live and/or play in coastal Delaware, you already know many of the things that make this area so great. We have the eclectic restaurant scene, the small town charm, the tax-free shopping, the dozens of fantastic local festivals and, of course, all of the fun and excitement surrounding the beach and the boardwalks.
But today we’re going to tell you about a few adventures you can have when the urge to do something a bit different than the norm strikes here at the Delaware beaches.
Some of the items on our list can be a bit dangerous, some will challenge your grey matter, some center on the water and some are just fun and/or unusual. But all 10 items we’re going to preview here today promise one thing, and that’s a great time in coastal Delaware, albeit in many different ways.
So let’s dive right into it, shall we? If you feel like stepping out of your comfort zone and doing something a little bit different here in the area, try these ideas on for size.
These are in no particular order…
Stay at a Haunted Bed & Breakfast
If you feel like getting away from home and embracing a meeting with the supernatural, consider spending the night at one of coastal Delaware’s haunted bed & breakfasts. There are two that come to mind, one in Rehoboth Beach and the other just to the south in Bethany.
In the “nation’s summer capital,” Bewitched & Bedazzled Bed and Breakfast on Lake Avenue is reportedly haunted by a young girl, who’s been seen by staff on more than one occasion. She can be heard roaming the halls and is most frequently seen in the basement area.
One member of the staff even drew her photo from memory and gave it to the owner of the property, who will be more than happy to share the story with you. All you need to do is ask.
In Bethany Beach, rooms 1, 6 and 11 at the Addy Sea Bed & Breakfast are said to be haunted by different spirits, including a former employee and a ghost who enjoys playing the organ at odd hours. There have even been reports of running in the halls, mysterious smells of old perfume and more.
Whether you’re a believer or a non-believer, if you want to experience something a bit different in coastal Delaware, this is a good place to start.
Go Fly a Kite
Being the flattest state in the country, Delaware is not necessarily known for having the best conditions for flying kites. But, the coastal area’s proximity to the sea makes up for it by featuring headwinds that make the activity fun and enjoyable to all.
You’ll see people flying kites at times on the beach. But if you really want to have a good time, head to some of the open spaces at Cape Henlopen State Park. A good time to start is on Good Friday each year, when the Lewes Chamber of Commerce hosts the annual Great Delaware Kite Festival.
The 49th installment of this fun event is scheduled for Friday, April 14, beginning at 11 a.m. Learn more about the festival HERE.
Be Part of the Crew on a 17th Century Tall Ship
Many don’t know this, but the Kalmar Nyckel, Delaware’s Tall Ship, is completely maintained and sailed via a volunteer crew. And you can actually join that crew, if you want to. No experience is necessary and all you need to do is take a training class offered in Wilmington, and you too can work aboard the ship.
If time constraints don’t allow you to do so, you can also take a trip aboard the 17thcentury tall ship and learn to work some of the jobs on the ship that way. The Kalmar Nyckel is docked in Lewes a couple of times each year, so keep an eye on the schedule and book your opportunity for a really unique experience on the Delaware Bay.
Visit an Actual Merman in Lewes
Now here’s something a bit out of the ordinary you can do right here in our own backyard. It’s not necessarily an “experience” like some of the others on our list, but where else can you go in the mid-Atlantic and see what is believed to be the remains of a real-life merman?
At the Zwaanendael Museum, on King’s Highway in Lewes, you can view the skeletal remains of what is said to be a merman that was brought back to shore by a Lewes sea captain many years ago.
The story came to be at a time when sea captains were returning from the newly opened ports of East Asia with tall tales of exotic, never-before-seen creatures, and at a time when people were trying to learn more about the science behind human origins.
Is the Delaware merman a joke or is it for real? Well, visit the museum and make your own conclusions.
Practice Saving a Drowning Man from the Sea
The United States Life-Saving Service existed for many years, not only on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of the country, but also in the Gulf Coast and Great Lakes regions. One of the service’s chief responsibilities was rescuing people, mostly men in those days, who found themselves in a bit of a tight spot thanks to Mother Ocean.
One way they did this was via an apparatus called the breeches buoy, which allowed surfmen to rescue shipwreck victims from the shore. And a couple of times a year, at the Indian River Life-Saving Station on Route 1 north of Bethany Beach, you can actually watch and even take part in a rescue drill using this very method.
Keep an eye on their website for dates and times, so you can experience this true coastal Delaware experience that you’re not going to find many other places. There is usually a nominal fee associated with the demonstration, in the neighborhood of $5.
What else made our list of the Top Ten “outside the box” things to do in coastal Delaware? You can find out HERE.
